Timo Horn is a mainstay at VfL Bochum. The 32-year-old hopes that VfL will once again be “carried by the fans” against Dresden.

Timo Horn has played in 214 Bundesliga matches so far. On top of that, he has made 110 appearances in the 2. Bundesliga. The 32-year-old has certainly been through a lot.

Promotions, relegations—but when you ask the goalkeeper, who will be in goal for VfL Bochum at home against Dynamo Dresden on Friday (6:30 p.m.), what immediately comes to mind, it’s clear.

Namely, November 10, 2018. On that day, everything went right for him and FC. The final score was 8–1 after 90 minutes against Dynamo Dresden. Spectacular goals, goalkeeping errors, a hat trick by Simon Terodde. It had it all. “That was fun, but those were different times; it just happened naturally during the game back then.”

At the end of the season, Cologne was promoted; the VfL goalkeeper would love to repeat that feat with VfL Bochum. But before Bochum can set their sights on the top, they need to extend their winning streak after a rough start to the season.

They’ve gone four games without a loss recently. Against the promoted team from Dresden, which has won only one game so far, they aim to secure their third consecutive league victory.

On Wednesday, Horn commented on the recent results: “We’re happy to take that with us. Especially after a long time during which I didn’t get to play. So, of course, I’m happy that I can repay the club’s trust. But I also know full well—I’ve been around long enough—that things can change quickly. So I’m just trying to stay focused, perform to the best of my ability, and enjoy the moment.”

Especially since the Bochum players know that, despite the recent results, there were periods—both in Braunschweig and at home against Magdeburg—where the opponent had the upper hand and VfL needed a bit of luck.

Horn looks ahead: “Dresden has a team that plays aggressively against the ball. We can expect a lot of one-on-one battles. We’ve put in some very good performances at our home stadium recently and sparked a certain sense of euphoria. When our fans carry us at home, anything is possible.”

He added: “It was already very intense against Magdeburg; Braunschweig had the physical upper hand before halftime. But we responded well after the break and kept a clean sheet. That’s what sets us apart right now. We have to carry that momentum forward.” cb / gp